Sleepless In Seattle extended
by Mionefan
Summary: What happens after the movie ends? Romance and the rocky road ahead.
1. Chapter 1

**Sleepless in Seattle**

**After the movie**

Prologue

Disclaimer: Sleepless in Seattle is distributed by TriStar Pictures, produced by Gary Foster and Directed byNora Ephron. Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman and Rosie O'Donnell.

Not mine! I'm just extending the story line.

_**Synopsis:**_

Annie Reed and Sam Baldwin along with his son Jonah have just met at the top of the Empire State Building on Valentines day.

They stared at one another for a moment until Sam said: "It's you!"

"It's me," she answered.

"I saw you… at the airport in Seattle and at the Marina."

"Are you Annie?" Jonah asked hopefully.

She nodded, smiling at them, Jonah's tote bag hanging loosely in her arms.

"I'm Jonah, this is Sam.

"Hi Sam."

"You're Annie?" Sam goggled, his jaw dropping.

"And who's this?" Annie asked, showing the stuffed bear to Jonah.

"That's Howard," Jonah answered.

"Hello Howard," Annie replied, handing Jonah the bear.

An awkward moment passed as Sam and Annie continued to look at each other. Jonah grinned. He knew he'd found his new mother.

Finally Sam said, "We should go." And looking at Annie, took her hand and continued, "Shall we?"

Annie smiled and took Sam's hand and Jonah took her other one. Slowly they walked to the waiting elevator, looking deeply into each other's eyes. As they descended in the elevator, little did they know the problems that lay ahead.

Annie was sure she had made the right decision in breaking off her engagement to Walter. Sam just felt right.

Sam was wondering how Jonah had known Annie would be the right one. Annie was even more beautiful in person than he remembered from their distant encounter at the marina, where she had almost been run down… twice! What would his friends say? How would he explain her to Victoria?

Jonah was entranced. Annie was even more perfect than he could have imagined. His dad had a look that Jonah had only seen for his mother.

As they exited the elevator, the Information Booth man, smiled. It seems that the anxious young lady had indeed met the man she had hoped to see. He knew his wife would be thrilled to hear this story. The couple and the child seemed lost in each other. He would have loved to hear their story. More importantly, so would his wife. She was hooked on the movie "An Affair To Remember" and this looked to have a much better resolution.

Once out on the street, Sam turned to Annie and Jonah. "Have you eaten yet, Annie?"

"Well I started to, but never… um…" She was not about to tell Sam about breaking up with Walter just to be with him and his son. That could be quite awkward.

"Well, I haven't eaten since lunch and I think Jonah hasn't either. What say we find a nice place. I hear New York has some fine restaurants."

"That sounds great Sam. I ran the last block when my taxi was stuck in traffic, hoping I would be there to meet you in time. I'm starved."

"I waited all afternoon for you to show up, Annie," Jonah stated. "I'm hungry too."

Walking a few blocks, they came across the Restaurant Charlotte. "This looks like a nice place," Sam observed. "Shall we try it?"

"It looks good, Sam. I'm game."

After they were seated and their orders taken, Sam wanted to know more about Annie and what made her write.

She told him that she worked for the Baltimore Sun and had listened as Jonah had phoned the talk show while she was travelling. She felt an immediate empathy with Jonah and Sam, finally spurring her to write the letter. Her friend and editor had actually mailed the letter after she had initially thrown it away. She did a bit of research and decided to finally try and meet Sam. That didn't go as planned and although she saw them, she got cold feet at the last moment. Then Jonah sent the invitation to meet on Valentines Day and at the last moment decided to risk everything and meet them.

Sam told her about the thousands of letters he received from the radio show and how Jonah had picked hers based on God only knows what. "He just wouldn't let it alone," Sam told her. "He phoned me twice in the middle of a date to urge me to reply. Finally, he booked a flight here with the help of his friend Jessica. I was frantic when he left without telling me."

Jonah grinned sheepishly at this. He knew his dad was angry at what he'd done, but knew it was worth it. In any case, Jonah could see that Annie and Sam had a connection and he would encourage it all he could.

They talked for almost two hours, getting to know each other. Both steered away from previous relationships, knowing they would eventually talk about them when they felt more comfortable with each other.

Sam couldn't believe his luck in finding such a warm and sensitive woman. Perhaps Maggie would have approved; Jonah certainly seemed to.

Annie, for her part, felt sure that Sam was finally the right man for her. They had more in common than she had suspected. Besides both liking baseball and Brooks Robinson, they both had a love of music and the arts.

After dinner, they had a problem. It was now late and returning home at this hour was out of the question. "We should stay the night," Sam offered. "We can sort this out in the morning. Do you mind?"

"No, that sounds like a good idea. I'm not due back at work for a couple of days," Annie replied. "There's a hotel near here I think; The Radisson, I believe. They should have a couple of rooms."

A short walk later, they had booked separate but adjoining rooms and retired for the evening.

Jonah was excited and practically bounced around the room. "I knew she'd come Dad. She's even more beautiful than I imagined. What do you think?"

"Jonah, remember what I told you about trying others to see if they're the right one? Well Annie might be the one, but we'll have to see. She's certainly pretty, and we got along great at dinner."

Meanwhile, Annie was thinking similar thoughts. "What just happened? One minute I'm engaged to Walter and the next I'm rushing headlong into what; a relationship with Sam? Get a grip Annie… he could be 'Mr. Right', but that's what I thought about Walter. Ooh, I've got to phone Becky! Sam seemed so right at dinner, and Jonah; well, he's such a sweet kid.

….


	2. Chapter 2

**Sleepless in Seattle**

**After the movie**

**Chapter 1: Getting to Know You**

Disclaimer: Sleepless in Seattle is distributed by TriStar Pictures, produced by Gary Foster and Directed byNora Ephron. Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman and Rosie O'Donnell.

Not mine! I'm just extending the story line.

The next morning Sam and Jonah awoke; Jonah with a huge smile on his young face and Sam looking a bit bewildered. What had happened last night? Sam was just beginning to realize that Annie might be the one thing missing in his life after the death of Maggie.

Annie had tossed and turned all night, dizzy with the thoughts of finally taking the chance of trying a relationship with Sam and Jonah. And what of her parents? They were expecting a June wedding with her and Walter. How could she tell them? What would she tell them? Her mother was quite the romantic but would she understand the irrational behavior of her daughter breaking her engagement to Walter to pursue a man she really didn't know? Explaining it to her would sound ridiculous to anyone other than her boss Becky. Even Walter was amazed at her story, but agreed to break off the engagement.

"Damn that phone-in host, Dr. Marsha Fieldstone," she voiced to herself, as she arose and showered. But she knew that life with Walter would be rather dull compared to the excitement she felt in the presence of Sam and Jonah. They had talked, haltingly at first and then with growing confidence. He was easy to talk to; funny and intelligent. Jonah was a true delight and they took to each other immediately. He told her how his friend Jessica had helped him get a plane ticket to New York and urged him to write her to meet them. He knew his dad would be delighted to meet her if only he could talk her into coming back to Seattle with him.

Annie had to laugh at the naivety of the boy, thinking that all he had to do was show up and magically everything would be solved. Come to think of it, he wasn't far wrong.

Dressing quickly, she heard a rap on her door and opened it to find Sam and Jonah waiting for her.

"We were about to head down for breakfast. Will you join us?" Sam asked.

"You go ahead, I still have to fix my hair. I'll join you in a few minutes."

After making herself a bit more presentable, she joined the pair in the dining room. Sam held the chair for her and then sat across from her with Jonah beside Annie.

They ordered breakfast and made plans for the day. "I have to retrieve my bags from the hotel I was staying at," Annie told them. "It's not too far from here, but I preferred to leave them there, last night."

"All right, we can swing by there first. What would you like to do today?"

"We should talk some more. We really don't know much about each other. How about a walk in Central Park?"

"That sounds great, Jonah has never been there and it's been a long time since I took…, um…" Sam choked and couldn't finish.

"I understand," she answered softly, and she really did. She knew he must be thinking of Maggie.

…………

After they had transferred Annie's bags to the Radisson, a taxi took them to Central Park's entrance at 59th street.

Jonah wanted to see the zoo, so they strolled leisurely, hand in hand, in the cool February sunshine up the paths to the zoo. Jonah skipped a bit ahead, leaving Sam and Annie to talk and get to know one another. As much as Jonah hated his dad's previous girlfriend, he knew Annie and Sam were made for each other. Jessica had sensed it and told him and he firmly believed it. He would finally have a new mother. He grinned at the thought. He would promote Annie in anyway that he could.

Sam and Annie talked quietly, exploring their new relationship. Annie old Sam about her best friend and boss Becky; how she had urged her to follow her heart and meet Sam.

Sam blushed at this, knowing that Annie was opening her heart to him. Sam couldn't understand why she would want so desperately to meet him, and asked her.

"I don't know, Sam. I was in a safe relationship, but hearing Jonah and you talk, just made me realize that you were the missing part in my life. I wanted something more than just a safe relationship. I knew as soon as I saw you that I couldn't be happy with anyone else. I took a big chance and found out everything I could about you. That day at the marina was the second time I saw you. The day before, I actually went to your house but saw you and Jonah leave in a boat. I followed and watched you play on the beach and I knew you loved Jonah with all your heart. I was determined to meet you the next day at the marina, but then I saw you hug another woman and I thought I'd lost. We saw each other and I got cold feet and left."

"Annie, that was my friend Suzy, Greg's wife. Suzy and Greg are my best friends from Chicago."

"Oh. I… I thought she was your girlfriend. You two looked so happy. What about Victoria?"

"How did you…? Oh. Jonah must have made some comment to Doctor Marsha. That little imp! He hates her, you know."

"Oh yes, I gathered that. What about you?" Annie knew she was treading on shaky ground here. The fact that Sam had chased his son to New York; didn't mean that he saw any future with her.

"I think Jonah had the right of it. I don't love Victoria, I was trying to explore a new relationship after not dating for so many years. What about your 'safe relationship'?"

Annie let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. "Walter and I met accidentally in a restaurant when our sandwiches were mixed up. We discovered we liked many of the same things and after dating for a while, he proposed. I accepted, but then… I listened to that damn radio program and my world turned topsy-turvy. We broke off the engagement just before I went to meet you. Walter understood that I couldn't marry him when I had intense feelings for you. I know it was illogical, but I couldn't help myself. It was fate and I know this sounds strange, but I didn't even believe in fate until yesterday."

"Fate. Well, I suppose I should tell you the rest of the story. When I saw Victoria off at the airport, I saw you getting off the plane. I was immediately drawn to you somehow, but we lost you in the crowd. Then when I saw you at the marina, I thought I was dreaming. I wish you had stayed."

Annie gasped at this. He had seen her at the airport. What a coincidence. How had she missed him? "I guess I was a bit distracted at the airport, and the marina left me with a cold empty feeling when I saw you hug… Suzy? I thought she was Victoria."

"Annie, I can stay here for another day, but we really must be getting back to Seattle. I'd like you to join us when you can get free." Sam hoped it would be soon. He couldn't let this beautiful woman get away. "I know we just met, but I'd really like to spend time getting to know you. I know Jonah already has his heart set on you."

"Sam. I'd love to come, but there are things I have to do first. I'll phone you when I can get away. It shouldn't take too long." _Hopefully_, she thought, dreading the thought of informing her parents.

They had arrived at the zoo and Jonah was waiting patiently for them. Wandering abound the zoo, the trio spent the afternoon enjoying the animals. Jonah especially like the monkeys, making faces at them and garnering smiles from Sam and Annie.

Later that afternoon, they walked up to the fountain and Alice in Wonderland statue at Cherry Hill in the park. Sam had read the story of Alice to Jonah years ago and Jonah was thrilled to see the statue with Alice at the tea party.

As the evening darkened, they made their way back to the hotel for dinner. After a delicious dinner, Sam noticed Jonah was fast becoming sleepy and decided to put him to bed. "I'd like to take you to a show, Annie, but I can't leave Jonah. Maybe we can talk some more after I put him to bed."

"I'd like that Sam, meet me in my room when he's asleep."

"Come on Jonah, time for bed."

"Aw dad." But his eyes were half closed and it wasn't too hard to convince him.

Half an hour later, Sam knocked softly on Annie's door. She greeted him warmly and ushered him in. Annie had let her hair down and it cascaded down her back in a soft veil of golden locks. She had changed to a soft grey cashmere sweater and light blue dress. Patterned nylons and grey slippers completed the look. Sam had never seen anyone that looked as beautiful as Annie did at that moment. She looked unsure of herself, so he approached and took her hands in his. "You look so beautiful, Annie. I'm speechless."

Annie blushed and stammered "Th-thank you. You're rather dashing yourself." She felt like butterflies were trapped inside her and her heart skipped a beat. Would he kiss her? She hoped so, but knew it was early in the relationship. She would be patient.

Sam felt her tremble and had a sudden urge to kiss her. Would she object? Best not, he thought. Plenty of time for that now that he'd found her.

They continued to gaze at each other and Sam drew her closer. "You really have lovely eyes, Annie," he said softly. Suddenly the barriers were down and she leaned forward. Their lips met in a tentative kiss and they knew. It was magic.

……………………….


	3. Chapter 3

**Sleepless in Seattle**

**After the movie**

**Chapter 2: Going Home**

Disclaimer: Sleepless in Seattle is distributed by TriStar Pictures, produced by Gary Foster and Directed byNora Ephron. Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman and Rosie O'Donnell.

Not mine! I'm just extending the story line.

The next morning after breakfast, Sam, Jonah and Annie set out to explore New York a bit more. This was to be their last day in the city and both Sam and Annie had flights home booked for that evening. Jonah almost clung to Annie, not wanting to let go.

"Jonah," Annie said softly, "I'll be visiting soon. I have to be back at work tomorrow."

"Promise?" Jonah asked tearfully.

"Promise." She answered, smiling.

"When you come, we have a spare room," Sam reassured her. Sam was still remembering the electrifying kiss they had shared the night before. They had then talked until midnight, sharing their joys and heartaches from years past. Sam was surprised that Annie had never married. She told him that her job demanded most of her time and she really enjoyed it. It left little time for a social life. Then Walter had come along and they had clicked almost immediately, but she still felt something was missing.

Sam told her he had dated in college but never felt like settling down until he met Maggie. Maggie had been his life and after they had Jonah, he figured his life was perfect. Them Maggie got cancer and was gone too soon; his life was devastated and he couldn't concentrate at work. Finally, he decided to move to Seattle, but still couldn't forget Maggie. Despite having Jonah, he was a lonely man and finally was pushed into dating again, not knowing what to expect. Victoria was his first experience since Maggie and although she was a bubbly person, Jonah detested her. Then he saw Annie at the airport and he wondered. "Jonah told me that he thought you and I were soul mates that had just not met yet. Maybe he was right. I couldn't take my eyes off you when I first saw you. Then when I saw you again, I couldn't believe my eyes. When you disappeared, a part of me left with you. Jonah kept after me, and now I'm glad he did."

They wandered up and down lower Manhattan, stopping at parks and historic sites. They took the ferry to Staten Island and wandered the harbor until it was time for their flights. Taking a taxi to the airport, Sam kissed Annie goodbye and Jonah hugged Annie, begging her to come to see them soon. Then they parted, Sam and Jonah for the flight back to Seattle and Annie back to Baltimore.

…………

Annie couldn't believe how this week had turned out. Sure, she had a vague idea of meeting Sam when she traveled to New York to meet Walter. Walter. He was such a gentleman. She still couldn't believe she had broken up with him, almost on a whim. The Valentine heart on the Empire State Building was the clincher. It seemed that fate had given the sign and pushed her off the fence she had been straddling for almost a year.

Sighing, she settled down to sort out her feelings. The kiss was certainly much more unsettling than she had expected; tender and sweet but toe curling at the same time. Walter had never made her feel like that! Sam did things to her heart that no one had ever done before. Even now, she could feel the tingle of his lips on hers. _Well, I'll have to talk to Becky as soon as I get home. Mother can wait,_ she thought. _What am I going to tell her? What am I going to tell daddy? Becky will want all the details. How am I going to do any work with Sam on my mind?_

When the plane landed, she took a cab straight home and phoned Becky.

"It's me, I'm back," she told her best friend and boss.

"Did you meet him? What's he like? Was Jonah with him? Details, girl; I want details. And what about Walter?"

"Becky, slow down. Yes, we did meet, but it was really weird. Walter and I were having dinner and I had to tell him. We talked and he sort of understood. He didn't want to be considered second best, so I gave him back the ring. I still wasn't sure Sam would be there, but all of a sudden, the Empire State Building lit up with a giant red Valentines Day heart and I knew. It was fate, I had to be there. I was almost too late, they were closing the elevators down for the night, but I talked the Information Booth attendant into letting me go up to see if he was there. When I got up there, there was nobody there and I knew I'd lost. Then I spotted a travel pack left by one of the telescopes and opened it. There was a teddy bear inside and I just knew it was Jonah's. Sure enough, Sam and Jonah came back for it and spotted me. We just stared at each other for a minute, before Jonah asked if I was Annie. A nodded and Sam looked like he had been struck by lightning and said, 'You're Annie?' You should have seen their faces. Jonah stood there with the biggest grin on his face and the look on Sam's face was priceless. Well, anyway we went to dinner and found a hotel. Yes, Becky, separate rooms. After putting Jonah to bed, we talked in my room until almost midnight. He kissed me Becky! It wasn't a passionate kiss, but my toes actually curled! Walter never made my toes curl! I felt like I could hardly breathe. I want more, Becky, I couldn't stand not being with him."

"Whoa, Annie, that's a bit intense for you. I've created a monster by mailing that letter for you. Are you sure, this time? You thought you'd gotten over him, months ago. What about your job here? Have you really thought this through?"

"I'm still in a muddle, Becky. I have to be with him and Jonah. He's invited me to visit them in Seattle. I told him I had to clear things up here first. Do you think I'm doing the right thing? I couldn't stand making a big mistake again, and believe me, Walter was a mistake."

They continued to talk until the wee hours, with Becky being very supportive. Finally, talked out, they promised to continue the discussion later that day.

………….

By the time Sam and Jonah retuned home, it was very late, even with the time difference and Jonah was fast asleep in Sam's arms as he carried him up to bed. Jonah had talked incessantly about Annie and Sam had answered honestly to his son's questions. Sam was examining his feelings toward Annie and he could honestly say that he'd never met anyone like her, and as long as he was being honest with himself, he thought it would be very easy to love her.

Sam tossed and turned all night, unable to get Annie out of his mind. He'd have to talk to Greg and Suzy and (shudder) Victoria. That was a conversation he wasn't looking forward to. They had been going out for several months and he was sure Victoria had set her sights on him as husband material. Greg would have a field day with this, teasing him mercilessly. Suzy would be the only one to understand and take his side, so at least he could live with that. How to break up with Victoria though? He didn't want to hurt her, but he was not going to give up Annie. Finally, he fell asleep just as the alarm rang.

…………

Annie dragged herself into work, having slept maybe three hours. She was exhausted, mentally and physically. Becky was waiting for her when she came in.

"You look like crap, Annie. Did you even get any sleep?"

"I guess about three hours, Becky. I tossed and turned after we hung up for I don't know how long. What am I going to tell my parents? If I tell them the truth, they'll think I'm certifiably insane. Mother will be easiest to convince. Dad will be shocked. Never mind what my brother and the rest of the relatives will think once they find out." He's invited me to visit. How will that work? I can't just drop everything here. I've got projects under way, people to interview…"

"Never mind that, Annie. We'll work it out. Maybe we'll send you on assignment to Seattle to cover a story. Let's see, how about that story about the layoff by Boeing of 15000 workers? That's a Seattle story that might play here. There's bound to be some other stories that our readers would like. We could make you our Seattle correspondent.

Your parents are fine people, they'll get used to it, after all, you're a big girl now. People rethink relationships all the time. Look at me, my Rick has me continually rethinking ours."

Thanks Becky. Do you mind if I work here for an hour or so and take the rest of the day off? I'm really exhausted. We must have walked half of New York City yesterday.

"Go home Becky, there's nothing here that's urgent. Get some rest and we can talk later. Oh, and Annie, I think you've made the right decision."

"I hope so, see you later."

………….

Sam managed to get Jonah off to school and then lay back down for a couple of hours, only to be awoken twenty minutes later by Jessica's mother on the phone.

"Hello Mr. Baldwin. This is Jessica's mother. Did you find Jonah? Jessica has been worried sick when he didn't call her."

"Oh, hello. Yes, thankfully. Jonah was exactly where I figured he'd be. We spent a couple of days in New York before flying home last night. Actually, it turned out rather well, but I'll let Jessica tell you when she gets home. I'm rather beat right now, since I only just got to sleep. Thanks for your concern. And thank Jessica for me as well."

"Oh, I'm sorry to disturb you. I'm glad it turned out well. Those children get up to the darndest things."

After he hung up, Sam got up and made himself some coffee. It looked like he wouldn't sleep today anyway. _Might as well phone Greg and Suzy; one of them is bound to be home,_ he thought. Dialing the phone, Suzy answered.

"Hi Suzy, is Greg home?"

"Hi Sam, how are you? No, Greg is still at work, can I help?"

Sam sighed. "Suzy, my life just got complicated. Remember we talked about that woman in Baltimore?"

"Annie? The one Jonah kept talking about?"

"Yeah. Well, it's a long story. We met her in New York."

"You did? What's she like? How did you meet her?"

Sam proceeded to tell her the whole story, hoping Suzy would tell Greg and head off the teasing he was sure to get when Greg found out and talked to him.

After he'd finished, Suzy couldn't help smiling to herself. This was wonderful. Sam deserved some happiness after what he'd been through. "That's great Sam. Oh, here's Greg. He just walked in the door."

Sam groaned. _Too late, _he thought_. Now I'm in for it._ "Hi Greg," he replied when Greg answered.

"What's up buddy? (whispers in the background). "No! Sam buddy, Suzy tells me you've actually met this Annie? What about Victoria?"

"Ah, there's the rub, Greg. I haven't talked to Victoria yet. This could get awkward. I think I love Annie, I've invited her to visit as soon as she can get away."

"Oh, that won't go well. I think Victoria has designs on you Sam. She won't let go that easily."

"Thanks Greg. I really didn't need to hear that."

"Are you sure Annie is the one? You've only met her for what, two days? Just a sec, Suzy is filling me in. (pause). What? Jonah went to New York alone? What was he thinking? Sam! (pause). I'll phone you back Sam, Suzy is going to tell me the whole sordid story."

Sam, grateful for the temporary reprieve, sank down in the couch and promptly fell asleep.

………………….


	4. Chapter 4

**Sleepless in Seattle**

**After the movie**

**Chapter 3: Consequences**

Disclaimer: Sleepless in Seattle is distributed by TriStar Pictures, produced by Gary Foster and Directed byNora Ephron. Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman and Rosie O'Donnell.

Not mine! I'm just extending the story line.

Hours later, Sam woke to the phone ringing.

"Hello? Annie! How are you?"

"Hi Sam. I've missed you already. How's Jonah?"

"Jonah's fine, I think. I got him off to school this morning anyway. I didn't really sleep last night and was mostly operating on auto this morning."

"Sam, I talked with Becky this morning and she's offered me a job as a correspondent in Seattle. I'll be able to work there as soon as I clear things up here."

"That's wonderful Annie. It's so good to hear your voice again. I miss you too. So when do you think you'll be able to come?"

"Well, I still have to deal with my parents (sighs). And I'll have to put my stuff in storage at least until I can get settled and find a place in Seattle."

"But you can stay here…"

"No Sam, at least not yet. I'll stay with you long enough to find my own place for now. Maybe later if it all works out."

"Jonah will be disappointed, never mind, I'm disappointed."

"Sam. Let's take it slow. I don't want you to end up like Walter. Besides, I'll see you everyday anyway."

"Fine, I'll take what I can get. You know Jonah hasn't stopped talking about you. He was really wired on the plane home. He sees you as his new mother already. Okay, we'll take it slow, but I want you to meet Greg and Suzy. Let me know as soon as you can, so we can all get together. Uh… I haven't figured out how to tell Victoria yet. Jonah would probably spill the beans as soon as he saw her. I can only hope to head that off before it happens."

…………

While Sam and Annie were talking, so were Jonah and Jessica.

"She's incredible, Jessica. I can't believe how well dad and her got along."

"See, I told you Jonah. They were MFEO. Tell me, was she there when you arrived?"

"No, I waited until closing time and then dad came. He was really upset and we left. I'd forgotten my backpack by the telescopes, so we went back up and there she was. She had found my backpack. You should have seen dad when he found out who she was."

"So where is she now?"

"Well, we stayed two days in New York and visited the Central Park Zoo one day and walked all over the next day before she had to go back home. She says she'll visit when she takes care of some things. I want her to stay, Jesse. I want her to stay so badly."

"It'll work out, you'll see. What about the hoe?"

"Victoria? I think Dad has seen enough of her. I'll make sure though. Dad and Annie made goo-goo eyes at each other all the time. It was really funny; they couldn't take their eyes off each other. I think dad almost forgot about me."

"That's good then. What does she look like?"

"Long dark blonde hair, pretty face, just a bit shorter than Dad. You'll see her when she visits, I told her about you and how you helped me."

…………

An hour later, the phone rang again and Sam answered.

"Where have you been?" It was Victoria and there was no laughter in her voice now. "We were supposed to go away for Valentines weekend."

"Uh, sorry Victoria, Jonah went missing." _Quick, think fast,_ he thought.

"What? What do you mean Jonah went missing? Was he abducted?"

"No, he took it upon himself to take a little trip without me knowing."

"You've got to be kidding, right? He's only eight, where would he go?"

"Um… New York City."

"Come on Sam, you can do better than that. Really, tell me where you really were."

"It's true, Victoria, I was about to head out to meet you; Clarisse came over, but Jonah was gone. His friend Jessica told us that he was on his way to New York City."

"But why on earth would he do that?"

"Er… well, he'd sort of arranged… Oh hell, you might as well know the whole story, you'll hear about it anyway. He arranged to meet this Annie. Did I tell you about Annie?"

"No." Her voice dipped to a dangerous level now. "Who's Annie?"

"Let me start from the beginning. He phoned a radio talk show at Christmas….."

Sam related what had happened and how determined Jonah had been to meet Annie. Sam could almost feel the chill develop over the phone as Victoria listened. "Then I knew I had to go to New York to retrieve them… er him."

Victoria didn't miss the slip.

"So, what about this Annie?" Her voice was downright venomous now.

Sam sighed and decided to end this as gracefully as he could. "Victoria, we've had fun, but Annie is something special. We've connected in so many ways and Jonah loves her."

"Meaning he would never love me!" she shot back.

"Really, Victoria, I like you, but Jonah and I look out for one another. Annie is the one he's picked, and I'm afraid I feel the same. I hate to end us like this, but it's for the best. Jonah would always pick Annie over you. You never had a chance with him. I want to explore a relationship with Annie, I think we could be good together. She's so much like my Maggie that it's scary. I'm sorry."

Victoria was stunned. She knew that Jonah was going to be a problem, but she'd honestly tried to be friends with him. Now, faced with the loss, she couldn't stop the tears that started. "O-okay," she said shakily. "I-I guess I'll see you around, Sam. It's been fun."

Apologizing again, Sam finally said goodbye and hung up. Collapsing into the couch, he put his head in his hands and breathed a shaky sigh of relief. "That was harder than I thought, but at least it's done."

…………

Annie was procrastinating. She knew she'd have to face her mom and dad and hated the idea. "Well, might as well get it over with."

As she drove over to her parents place, she debated on the best approach. Should she just flat out tell them everything? "Who am I kidding? They'd have me locked away as being totally insane. Best break it into manageable pieces. Yes, that should work."

Parking in front of her parent's house, she had a moment of panic. "I can't do this. What will they think of me? They loved Walter." She almost turned the car around and left.

The decision was taken out of her hands when her mother appeared on the porch. "Annie. What are you doing here? I thought you'd be at work. Is something wrong?"

"Hi Mom. No, well yes, I guess. Walter and I broke up."

Barbara Reed gasped in shock. "Annie! What happened? He was such a lovely man. I thought you two were perfect for each other. Did he cheat on you?"

"No Mom. Walter and I decided that we weren't as compatible as we thought. He's a wonderful man, but he's not the one. In any case, I'm taking an assignment in Seattle as a correspondent for the paper. Becky offered it to me and I'll be relocating as soon as I set my affairs in order. It's for the best. I won't have to see Walter everyday." _This just might work out,_ she thought.

"Oh, Annie, I'm so sorry. About Walter, I mean. Your new job means we won't be seeing much of you anymore."

"I'll be back and forth a bit. Maybe sooner than you think. Is Dad home?"

"No dear, he went shopping. I'll have to tell him, unless you want to stay for dinner."

"I'm afraid not Mom, I have a million things to do. I have to pack, arrange for termination of my lease on the apartment; you know, a million details. I'll see you before I go." _And hopefully Dad will have calmed down by then,_ she thought.

"All right dear, take care."

"Bye Mom." As she left, she cursed herself for not having the nerve to tell he the rest of the reason. _Well, if Sam ever gets to meet them, I'll tell them the rest of the story then. I wonder if Sam talked to Victoria yet. Maybe I'll call him again tonight. God, I miss him!_

…………

Jonah returned home, hoping that Victoria wasn't there. His dad was pretty good at dealing with problems.

"Dad, I'm home!"

He looked around, not seeing Sam and supposed he was still at work. Well, maybe Jessica could come over and help with homework.

The phone rang and Jonah answered, praying it wasn't Victoria. "Hello?"

"Hi Jonah," came a familiar voice on the other end. "Is Sam home?"

"Annie!" Jonah practically shouted. "Um, no Dad isn't here yet; he's probably working. I miss you Annie. When are you coming to see us?"

"I miss you too, Jonah. How was school today?"

"Boring, I told my friend Jessica about meeting you in New York. She wants to meet you too."

"I'll be ready to leave soon, but I have a bunch of things to do. I'll tell Sam a bit more later. When does he usually get home?"

"He should be home soon. I'll let him know you called."

"That's alright, I'll phone later. Bye Jonah."

"Bye Annie."

………………………..


	5. Chapter 5

**Sleepless in Seattle**

**After the movie**

**Chapter 5: Reunion**

Disclaimer: Sleepless in Seattle is distributed by TriStar Pictures, produced by Gary Foster and Directed byNora Ephron. Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman and Rosie O'Donnell.

Not mine! I'm just extending the story line. This chapter will be reposted after my beta has a chance to review it.

6:15 came and went, and no sign of United 575. Sam checked the arrivals screen and saw that it was delayed.

"Where is she Dad? I thought she'd be here by now."

"The plane is delayed, Son. It looks like it's about an hour late. Let's grab a bite and wait."

They waited, the tension building. Jonah couldn't stay still, pacing and glancing at the clock. Finally, an hour and a half late, the flight arrived. As the first passengers disembarked, Sam waited patiently. Jonah couldn't stay still, fidgeting and hopping from foot to foot, pacing and staring at the arrivals door. Finally a familiar figure emerged and Jonah practically leapt into Annie's arms. "Hi Jonah," Annie cried. "I missed you."

Sam waited for Jonah to disengage himself and gathered her into his arms. "Welcome to Seattle, Annie," he said, kissing her softly.

Surprised, she kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Sam! I missed you too. As you can see, the plane was late. The stop in Chicago took forever."

"Did they feed you on the plane? Are you hungry?"

"I could eat a bit. Airline food is not what I'd consider a meal."

"Great. Jonah and I just had a bite here at Sea-Tac. By the time we get your bags and drive home, it'll be late. Why don't we stop for dinner on the way?"

The trio waited for Annie's baggage and finally exited the airport, heading for the Marriot for dinner. After dinner and a quiet drive, they arrived at Sam and Jonah's house on Lake Union.

"Welcome home Annie," Sam said. "I'll take your bags to your room. It's between Jonah's and mine."

"Dad! Won't she be sleeping with you?"

Sam and Annie both blushed at this.

"Jonah! Annie will have her own room, at least until we get to know her better."

"But she will be sleeping w…"

"Jonah, enough!" Sam commanded. Sam showed Annie her room and continued with a tour of the house. "Sorry about Jonah, Annie. He's eight and has ideas that are a bit premature. Jonah, bedtime."

"Aw Dad, it's only 10 o'clock."

"That's right, bedtime, now scoot."

"Can Annie tuck me in?"

"I'd be glad to, Jonah," Annie replied.

After Jonah had been tucked in, Sam and Annie wandered out to the deck overlooking the lake.

"It's beautiful here Sam. The view is gorgeous."

"You're gorgeous, Annie," Sam replied, moving closer. They stared at one another for a few moments and finally Sam closed the gap and pulled Annie to him for a soft kiss.

"Mmm," she sighed, as they finally broke apart. "I could get used to this."

Sam smiled. "I could get very used to this."

They kissed again, deeper this time, with Annie's hand running through his hair and Sam holding her as close as he could.

Breaking apart again, Sam said; "We should get some sleep. It's been a long day for you. We can catch up tomorrow. I'm taking the day off."

Annie lay awake for a long time, remembering Sam's kiss and the way he looked at her. She would have a hard time slowing this relationship down before she became completely lost in him. "Sam," she sighed. "How can I even think about work when I'm near you, and I want to be near you all the time."

Sam, meanwhile, was having similar thoughts. "What's happening to me? All I can think about is Annie and those wonderful lips of hers. Maggie." Sam could remember how his wife had kissed. "Annie's kiss is just as wonderful. I'm sure you'd approve. Jonah found us a good one." With that final thought, Sam drifted off to sleep.

…

A few weeks later, Annie had finally found a place to rent. They'd scoured the area close to Sam and came across a house that the owners were willing to rent for a reasonable amount. It wasn't quite as close as Annie wanted, but it wasn't that far away either, just across Interstate 5 near 15th and Boyer. Until Annie retrieved her car from Baltimore, she would have to rent a car. That taken care of, Sam helped her move in. Her belongings were shipped from storage and now she had her own place. It felt strange to not be in the same house as Sam, and she was beginning to regret moving out. Sam had continued to urge her to stay with them and she'd almost given in. Jonah was tearful when she left, but she promised that she'd still see them often.

The first night alone, Annie had a hard time falling asleep. Sam had always made it a point of kissing her goodnight before she turned in. In fact, she was having a hard time staying out of his bed. She had promised herself to take it slow, but Sam and Jonah were slowly eroding that promise.

Sam wasn't doing much better. Already he missed Annie's presence in the house. Lately he had taken to standing outside her door at night before turning in, fighting to keep from creeping into her bed. Annie had grown on him as no other woman had. Victoria wasn't even on the same planet and Maggie was now starting to fade from his dreams. He wanted her every bit as much as he'd wanted Maggie.

Jonah tossed and turned, unable to understand why Annie had to leave. She was supposed to be his new mother. Why was she not living with them? He knew by now that they loved each other, even if they didn't come right out and say it. Jonah was frustrated. Maybe Jessica could figure this out. He'd ask her tomorrow.

…

Annie was over at Sam's place every night and would occasionally sleep over, but she was also busy with her articles for the Baltimore Sun. Many nights she wouldn't get to sleep until the wee hours, but those were the nights she slept at Sam's place. They had moved their relationship up a notch but still hadn't had sex yet. Annie was waiting for Sam to make the first move and Sam was waiting for Annie. Neither was willing to initiate that final step until one night Annie invited Sam to her place. Sam called Clarisse to baby-sit Jonah and the next evening, Annie fixed a nice dinner for Sam at her place. After a wonderful dinner that had Sam raving about Annie's cooking, they shared a heated kiss.

"Let's go to bed, Sam."

"Are you sure, Annie? Are you ready?"

"Sam, I've been ready for ages now. Since that first kiss in Central Park, I knew I'd want to sleep with you."

"Really?" Sam was shocked. He had felt the connection at the time, but didn't dare think that Annie would have felt the same.

"Didn't you feel it, Sam?" she asked hopefully.

"I-I did, but I never realized that you might feel it too."

"Come on Sam, the bed's waiting." _And so am I_, she thought.

Sam didn't need another invitation.

Hours later and fully sated, they fell asleep, only to awake twice more during the night and resume where they left off.

…

The next morning, Sam awoke with a grin on his face. Annie was curled into his side, still asleep; her hair cascading over his face. He gently tried to extricate himself, only to find Annie's arm wrapped around him and a gentle sigh escape her lips. "Don't go just yet Sam," she breathed.

"I'll be right back, I have to use the facilities."

"Hurry back," she urged sleepily.

After he finished and brushed his teeth, Annie quickly made her way inside and did the same. Returning to bed, they kissed and cuddled for another hour before getting up and showering. After a light breakfast, Sam called Clarisse to check on Jonah. Jonah was still sleeping, but she promised to entertain him for the day.

"I'll be home this evening Clarisse. Tell Jonah Annie will be with me."

After he hung up, Annie dragged him back to bed. Sam didn't protest. Annie had a way of making him come alive. Even Maggie couldn't intrude on his dreams now. He hadn't thought about his dead wife for over a week now. Sex with Annie was an experience he would cherish as long as he lived.

"I love you Annie," he said, after they had lain in bed past noon. "Marry me?"

"Oh Sam! I thought you'd never ask. I love you too. Yes, I'll marry you!"

"Jonah will be happy," They both said together, laughing.

"A ring. I need to buy you a ring! Let's go shopping."

"Sam, I've been through this…"

"No arguments, Annie, you deserve this."

Annie sighed, Walter had given her a ring and she had given it back. She hoped this time would be luckier. "But no shopping for dinnerware," she admonished. "We can do that after we're married. OH! You have to meet my family! Can you take a few days off? I have to retrieve my car from my parents place too."

"Yeah, I can take a couple of days, but seriously, why don't you sell the old one and buy one here?"

"No Sam, It's a good car and I've become attached to it."

"It's a long drive sweetheart, almost 3000 miles."

"2700 actually, but you're right it is a long drive."

"I wouldn't feel comfortable with you driving that distance. If you had an accident… well I couldn't live with myself or without you."

"Okay, we'll put off that decision for now, but when should we go? Oh, and you have to meet my best friend Becky."

"When do you want to go? I can postpone some of my work after next week."

Annie was excited, her parents and brother would get to meet the man she desperately loved. Becky would be vindicated for sending her letter that she'd written and discarded. "How about in two weeks. That should give us a chance to settle in your house."

"You know, maybe we can stretch it out a bit and drive your car back. I was thinking; my best friends Greg and Suzy would love to meet you and they live in Chicago. We could stop there on the way back."

"That sounds great. I'd love to meet them."

"I'll take a week, Jonah should be on spring break by then. We'll take him with us."

Sam took Annie to a jeweler on Fifth Avenue in Seattle. After seeing the selection, Annie found the perfect ring and after Sam paid for it, he placed it on her finger. "It's perfect Sam," she squealed, kissing him passionately. The ring was a spray of diamonds set in a platinum ring with a center emerald. The ring was elegant and yet simple. The clerk said he'd have it sized and ready in a few days.

"Would sir and madam like matching wedding rings as well?" he enquired.

Sam and Annie agreed that they'd like that. Selecting the matching rings, Sam had them engrave the inside with the words 'Loving you forever, Annie and Sam'.

That evening, when they arrived home at Sam's place, Jonah was waiting. He could tell things had changed by the goofy looks Sam and Annie gave each other. They were smiling a little too much to be just coming home. "Dad?" he asked.

Sam replied. "Jonah, I know this will make you as happy as we are. Annie has consented to marry me and be my wife and your mother."

Jonah was over the moon. Tears of joy streaked down his face as he leaped into Annie's arms, hugging her fiercely. All three had tears of joy in their eyes as they hugged each other. Later, Sam told them of their plan to travel to Baltimore and drive back.

"We'll get to see Suzy and Greg?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes, we'll be driving through Chicago and will stop to see them. I'm taking a week over your spring break."

Annie slept in Sam's bed that night. It had been a long day.

…


	6. Chapter 6

**Sleepless in Seattle**

**After the movie**

**Chapter 6: Travels and a Family Reunion**

Disclaimer: Sleepless in Seattle is distributed by TriStar Pictures, produced by Gary Foster and Directed byNora Ephron. Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman and Rosie O'Donnell.

Not mine! I'm just extending the story line.

….

* * *

"Hi mother, it's Annie." She had decided to telephone her mother the next day.

"Annie! Well, we haven't heard from you in almost a month, what's happened?"

"Sam proposed last night, Mom and I accepted. Oh, Mother, he's so much better than I ever dreamed. You were right; it's magic. We both like the same things. I told him I played third base on the Baltimore Sun fast pitch team and that Brooks Robinson was my favorite baseball player. Sam and his son Jonah love baseball as well. We both like music and camping. Oh, and he can't really cook. He's learning, but I think I'll be the cook of the family. We just fit together perfectly in so many ways."

"I'm so happy for you dear. Are you sure this time? Have you set a date?"

"Very sure, Mother. We're planning to visit during Jonah's spring break. I'll let you know which days after we make the reservations. No, we haven't decided on a date yet."

After talking with her mother for almost an hour, Annie bid her goodbye and tried to concentrate on her job. Sam had left to check on a home restoration job that he had been overseeing. Jonah was back to school and was telling Jessica the good news.

"Dad's getting married, Jessica. He proposed to Annie last night!" Jonah was practically bouncing on his feet as he told her.

"That's great Jonah. I knew with a little help they would get together. Have they set a date?"

"Not yet, we're flying back to Baltimore to meet her family and drive her car back."

…

The days flew by and Sam and Annie became even closer together. Annie relinquished the lease on the rental house, moving her furniture once again into storage. As spring break approached, Annie telephoned her parents.

"Hi Dad, How are you?"

"Annie! What a surprise. I'm fine, How's your young man? Have you set a date yet? Your mother and I are dying to meet him."

"Sam and Jonah are great Dad. No, we haven't set a date yet, but soon. I just called to let you know that we'll be arriving next Saturday. That's a week tomorrow. Is Mom there?"

"Yes sweetie, she's practically grabbing the phone out of my hand."

"Annie!" Barbara Reed answered. "I overheard. So you're arriving next Saturday. What flight and time?"

"We'll be on the afternoon flight.

…

Over the next week, the household was in an uproar. A flurry of packing and last minute nerves had Sam and Annie continually bumping into each other. Becky had phoned several times to arrange a get together and was anxious to meet Sam and Jonah.

Suzy and Greg were coordinating their plans, making sure that they were available when Sam, Annie and Jonah arrived in Chicago.

Annie's mother had phoned several times to make sure they would be staying there instead of hotels.

Jonah was restless, never able to sit still for very long. He'd practically attached himself to Annie, asking her about herself, wanting to know the most embarrassing things. Annie had blushed at some of the questions until Sam finally intervened, telling him, in no uncertain terms that he'd better behave himself or he'd leave him with Clarrise.

Jonah knew his dad would never do that, but it was unnerving enough that he finally settled down. He now spent more time with Jessica and Sam was relieved that he wasn't under foot all the time. Jonah and Annie had become very close and Jonah would now tell Annie things that happened at school before he would tell Sam. Annie would listen attentively and the bond between them became more like mother and son.

"Dad, when are you going to marry Annie?" Jonah asked one day.

"We haven't set a date yet, Jonah. I promise, you'll be the first to know when we do."

"Why not today, Dad?"

"Jonah!"

"Come on Dad, I can't wait until I have a real mother again."

Annie had overheard this and her eyes glistened at the thought that Jonah was so anxious to have her as his mother.

Meanwhile, Jonah had phoned Dr. Marcia again to let her know that Sam had finally found someone. Annie had caught him on the phone one evening and confronted him.

"Jonah," she said softly, "Are you telling that wretched woman details of our private lives again?"

"She wants to know, Annie. Can you talk to her?"

"Absolutely not! She may have brought us together, but there's no need to let the world know everything."

"Aw, please? She wants to talk to you, since she's talked to me and Dad."

Finally, after much persuading, Annie agreed. "Hello, Dr. Marsha? This is Annie"

"Hello Annie. It's good to finally hear from someone who has obviously captured Jonah's heart. Can I ask you how you met?"

"What has Jonah told you?"

"Oh, just that he'd finally met his new mother on Valentines Day. He just started to tell me the details. Can you resume the tale?"

"Annie, is that Dr. Marsha?" Sam interrupted.

"Dad, she wants to talk to Annie."

"Jonah! Why are you phoning that talk show again? I don't want to go through all this any more. It was embarrassing enough, the first time."

"But Dad, you promised to let her know…"

Annie, meanwhile had brought Dr. Marsha up to date on how they met, and was ready to end the conversation, when Dr. Marsha asked the question.

"So, Annie, have you and Sam set a date yet?"

Annie blushed scarlet and stammered a reply. "N-not yet, but soon." Under her breath, she said, 'I hope real soon.'

After Annie hung up, Sam decided that they should talk about that. Setting the date had been on his mind for several days now, and now was a good time to discuss it. "Maybe we should decide when the best time would be, Annie. Do you have any ideas?"

"Well, my family will want to be there, and I'm sure you want Suzy and Greg there as well. Can we get married in Baltimore? I know my mother will want to arrange it all."

"That sounds fine with me, but I'll have to let Greg and Suzy know; when, though, is the question."

"How about Christmas. It would give us enough time to iron out all the details. I'd really like to do it right away, but that wouldn't be fair to everybody," Annie replied

Jonah's eyes fell. He had hoped to have them married by now.

…

Sam's friend Rob had been following the budding romance. He hadn't seen Sam this happy since he'd moved to Seattle. "Sam, when am I going to meet the lucky woman? You've been going around in a daze for weeks now."

"We've been really busy, Rob. Annie's been moving in and the place is in a turmoil. We're off to meet her parents this week and then we're driving Annie's car back. Give us a few weeks and I'll invite you over."

"Sounds good. Has she introduced you to Tiramisu yet?"

"You keep bringing that up. Just what is it?"

"Trust me, you'll love it. Ask her, I bet she'll make sure you try it."

"Argh, quit teasing me. I don't want to have to ask her in case it's something kinky."

Rob laughed at that, enjoying the look on Sam's face. "So, her parents; they live in Baltimore you said?"

"Yeah and I'm really nervous about meeting them. She has a large family and her brother is some kind of professor, I think. She was telling me about the last time she saw them. Her ex fiancé was with her and was allergic to almost everything. I don't want to screw this meeting up."

"You'll be fine, you deal with all sorts of people anyway and they all like you."

"Well, apparently all except Victoria. She refuses to deal with me now. Thank God there are other interior decorators in Seattle."

…..

It was raining again in Seattle as Sam returned home. Jonah and Annie were waiting for him and had a nice hot dinner ready.

"Achoo! Achoo!"

"Jonah, no! Not now! Please don't say you've got a cold. We leave for Baltimore tomorrow!"

"I'll be alright, Dad, I promise. I'll take some cold medicine." Jonah sniffled.

"Jonah, if you have a cold, we can't go. I'm sorry, but we can't take a chance of spreading it. We'll just have to postpone the trip."

"But Dad!" Jonah wailed. "Annie was looking forward to this!"

"It's okay, Jonah, I'll just phone my parents…"

"No, Annie, you and Dad go! Clarisse can look after me. Please Dad? You should go."

"Now, Jonah. Clarisse has her own life, she probably wouldn't be available."

"Phone her Dad. You and Annie should go. I'd just be in the way."

"No, Jonah. You wouldn't be in the way. You're the reason we even met! How could you say that?" Annie admonished.

"Alright, alright, I'll phone Clarisse!" Sam admonished. "But if she's not available, we're not going."

A quick phone call to Clarisse provided a promise that she would be only too glad to look after Jonah. "I'm just getting over a cold, so no worries, Mr. Baldwin. How long will you be gone?"

"Thank you Clarisse, you're a lifesaver. We were planning to leave tomorrow and be gone for a week. Annie has to drive her car back, so that'll take up most of the time." We were going to stop and see friends in Chicago, but we'll put that off for now. We'll keep in touch each day and Annie's parents number is on the quick dial."

With that settled Sam and Annie checked that they had everything packed. They both worried about Jonah, but Clarisse was very reliable. Jonah would be at home and Jessica would probably visit. Sam would have to warn Jessica's parents that Jonah had a cold.

Jonah was feeling left out. He knew his dad and Annie wouldn't be gone too long, but wished he could come too. Probably he had caught the cold from his friend Jed.

…

The next day, Jonah clung to first Annie and then Sam, begging them to take him with them. "I won't sneeze Dad, honest. I've taken the cold medice and feel much better now." He felt a sneeze building up and tried to repress it, but it was no use. "Achoo, ACHOO!" Tears of helplessness stained his cheeks as he gave up.

Annie and Sam hugged him and promised that they'd be back soon. And then they were off to the airport. Parking the car in the long term car-parkade, they made their way to the check in. Getting their seat assignment, they waited and presently boarded.

The trip seemed to go by rapidly as they sat and talked. A lunch was served and they finally landed in Baltimore.

Annie's dad Cliff met them at the airport to drive them home. "Annie, it's good to see you, we've missed you."

"Sam, this is my dad Cliff. Dad, this is Sam."

"It's good to finally meet you Sam. Let's get your bags and we can chat on the way home. Barbara's waiting to meet your young man. By the way Sam, you're not allergic to anything are you?"

Sam gave a questioning look at Annie. "What? Not, as far as I know. Why?"

Annie smiled and answered. "My ex fiancé was allergic to almost everything. He started sneezing during dinner when he met my parents and relatives. It was the roses."

Sam relaxed and smiled and held Annie's hand. He tried to remember all Annie had told him of all the foibles of the Reed family and had worried (much like Walter had) that he'd make a fool of himself, trying to remember it all.

"So Jonah couldn't come?" Cliff asked, as they traveled from the airport.

"No," Sam replied. "He caught a cold from one of his friends at school the night before we left. Nothing serious, but we had to leave him behind. We have a very good sitter that's staying with him."

"He pleaded with us," Annie said. "We were going to cancel and wait until he was better, but he insisted that we go."

"He sounds like a very nice boy. Well, here we are."

Barbara Reed was waiting at the door, having seen them drive up and welcomed Annie and Sam with hugs and kisses.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sleepless in Seattle**

**After the movie**

**Chapter 6: Travels and a Family Reunion**

Disclaimer: Sleepless in Seattle is distributed by TriStar Pictures, produced by Gary Foster and Directed byNora Ephron. Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman and Rosie O'Donnell.

Not mine! I'm just extending the story line.

….

"Hi mother, it's Annie." She had decided to telephone her mother the next day.

"Annie! Well, we haven't heard from you in almost a month, what's happened?"

"Sam proposed last night, Mom and I accepted. Oh, Mother, he's so much better than I ever dreamed. You were right; it's magic. We both like the same things. I told him I played third base on the Baltimore Sun fast pitch team and that Brooks Robinson was my favorite baseball player. Sam and his son Jonah love baseball as well. We both like music and camping. Oh, and he can't really cook. He's learning, but I think I'll be the cook of the family. We just fit together perfectly in so many ways."

"I'm so happy for you dear. Are you sure this time? Have you set a date?"

"Very sure, Mother. We're planning to visit during Jonah's spring break. I'll let you know which days after we make the reservations. No, we haven't decided on a date yet."

After talking with her mother for almost an hour, Annie bid her goodbye and tried to concentrate on her job. Sam had left to check on a home restoration job that he had been overseeing. Jonah was back to school and was telling Jessica the good news.

"Dad's getting married, Jessica. He proposed to Annie last night!" Jonah was practically bouncing on his feet as he told her.

"That's great Jonah. I knew with a little help they would get together. Have they set a date?"

"Not yet, we're flying back to Baltimore to meet her family and drive her car back."

…

The days flew by and Sam and Annie became even closer together. Annie relinquished the lease on the rental house, moving her furniture once again into storage. As spring break approached, Annie telephoned her parents.

"Hi Dad, How are you?"

"Annie! What a surprise. I'm fine, How's your young man? Have you set a date yet? Your mother and I are dying to meet him."

"Sam and Jonah are great Dad. No, we haven't set a date yet, but soon. I just called to let you know that we'll be arriving next Saturday. That's a week tomorrow. Is Mom there?"

"Yes sweetie, she's practically grabbing the phone out of my hand."

"Annie!" Barbara Reed answered. "I overheard. So you're arriving next Saturday. What flight and time?"

"We'll be on the afternoon flight.

…

Over the next week, the household was in an uproar. A flurry of packing and last minute nerves had Sam and Annie continually bumping into each other. Becky had phoned several times to arrange a get together and was anxious to meet Sam and Jonah.

Suzy and Greg were coordinating their plans, making sure that they were available when Sam, Annie and Jonah arrived in Chicago.

Annie's mother had phoned several times to make sure they would be staying there instead of hotels.

Jonah was restless, never able to sit still for very long. He'd practically attached himself to Annie, asking her about herself, wanting to know the most embarrassing things. Annie had blushed at some of the questions until Sam finally intervened, telling him, in no uncertain terms that he'd better behave himself or he'd leave him with Clarrise.

Jonah knew his dad would never do that, but it was unnerving enough that he finally settled down. He now spent more time with Jessica and Sam was relieved that he wasn't under foot all the time. Jonah and Annie had become very close and Jonah would now tell Annie things that happened at school before he would tell Sam. Annie would listen attentively and the bond between them became more like mother and son.

"Dad, when are you going to marry Annie?" Jonah asked one day.

"We haven't set a date yet, Jonah. I promise, you'll be the first to know when we do."

"Why not today, Dad?"

"Jonah!"

"Come on Dad, I can't wait until I have a real mother again."

Annie had overheard this and her eyes glistened at the thought that Jonah was so anxious to have her as his mother.

Meanwhile, Jonah had phoned Dr. Marcia again to let her know that Sam had finally found someone. Annie had caught him on the phone one evening and confronted him.

"Jonah," she said softly, "Are you telling that wretched woman details of our private lives again?"

"She wants to know, Annie. Can you talk to her?"

"Absolutely not! She may have brought us together, but there's no need to let the world know everything."

"Aw, please? She wants to talk to you, since she's talked to me and Dad."

Finally, after much persuading, Annie agreed. "Hello, Dr. Marsha? This is Annie"

"Hello Annie. It's good to finally hear from someone who has obviously captured Jonah's heart. Can I ask you how you met?"

"What has Jonah told you?"

"Oh, just that he'd finally met his new mother on Valentines Day. He just started to tell me the details. Can you resume the tale?"

"Annie, is that Dr. Marsha?" Sam interrupted.

"Dad, she wants to talk to Annie."

"Jonah! Why are you phoning that talk show again? I don't want to go through all this any more. It was embarrassing enough, the first time."

"But Dad, you promised to let her know…"

Annie, meanwhile had brought Dr. Marsha up to date on how they met, and was ready to end the conversation, when Dr. Marsha asked the question.

"So, Annie, have you and Sam set a date yet?"

Annie blushed scarlet and stammered a reply. "N-not yet, but soon." Under her breath, she said, 'I hope real soon.'

After Annie hung up, Sam decided that they should talk about that. Setting the date had been on his mind for several days now, and now was a good time to discuss it. "Maybe we should decide when the best time would be, Annie. Do you have any ideas?"

"Well, my family will want to be there, and I'm sure you want Suzy and Greg there as well. Can we get married in Baltimore? I know my mother will want to arrange it all."

"That sounds fine with me, but I'll have to let Greg and Suzy know; when, though, is the question."

"How about Christmas. It would give us enough time to iron out all the details. I'd really like to do it right away, but that wouldn't be fair to everybody," Annie replied

Jonah's eyes fell. He had hoped to have them married by now.

…

Sam's friend Rob had been following the budding romance. He hadn't seen Sam this happy since he'd moved to Seattle. "Sam, when am I going to meet the lucky woman? You've been going around in a daze for weeks now."

"We've been really busy, Rob. Annie's been moving in and the place is in a turmoil. We're off to meet her parents this week and then we're driving Annie's car back. Give us a few weeks and I'll invite you over."

"Sounds good. Has she introduced you to Tiramisu yet?"

"You keep bringing that up. Just what is it?"

"Trust me, you'll love it. Ask her, I bet she'll make sure you try it."

"Argh, quit teasing me. I don't want to have to ask her in case it's something kinky."

Rob laughed at that, enjoying the look on Sam's face. "So, her parents; they live in Baltimore you said?"

"Yeah and I'm really nervous about meeting them. She has a large family and her brother is some kind of professor, I think. She was telling me about the last time she saw them. Her ex fiancé was with her and was allergic to almost everything. I don't want to screw this meeting up."

"You'll be fine, you deal with all sorts of people anyway and they all like you."

"Well, apparently all except Victoria. She refuses to deal with me now. Thank God there are other interior decorators in Seattle."

…..

It was raining again in Seattle as Sam returned home. Jonah and Annie were waiting for him and had a nice hot dinner ready.

"Achoo! Achoo!"

"Jonah, no! Not now! Please don't say you've got a cold. We leave for Baltimore tomorrow!"

"I'll be alright, Dad, I promise. I'll take some cold medicine." Jonah sniffled.

"Jonah, if you have a cold, we can't go. I'm sorry, but we can't take a chance of spreading it. We'll just have to postpone the trip."

"But Dad!" Jonah wailed. "Annie was looking forward to this!"

"It's okay, Jonah, I'll just phone my parents…"

"No, Annie, you and Dad go! Clarisse can look after me. Please Dad? You should go."

"Now, Jonah. Clarisse has her own life, she probably wouldn't be available."

"Phone her Dad. You and Annie should go. I'd just be in the way."

"No, Jonah. You wouldn't be in the way. You're the reason we even met! How could you say that?" Annie admonished.

"Alright, alright, I'll phone Clarisse!" Sam admonished. "But if she's not available, we're not going."

A quick phone call to Clarisse provided a promise that she would be only too glad to look after Jonah. "I'm just getting over a cold, so no worries, Mr. Baldwin. How long will you be gone?"

"Thank you Clarisse, you're a lifesaver. We were planning to leave tomorrow and be gone for a week. Annie has to drive her car back, so that'll take up most of the time." We were going to stop and see friends in Chicago, but we'll put that off for now. We'll keep in touch each day and Annie's parents number is on the quick dial."

With that settled Sam and Annie checked that they had everything packed. They both worried about Jonah, but Clarisse was very reliable. Jonah would be at home and Jessica would probably visit. Sam would have to warn Jessica's parents that Jonah had a cold.

Jonah was feeling left out. He knew his dad and Annie wouldn't be gone too long, but wished he could come too. Probably he had caught the cold from his friend Jed.

…

The next day, Jonah clung to first Annie and then Sam, begging them to take him with them. "I won't sneeze Dad, honest. I've taken the cold medice and feel much better now." He felt a sneeze building up and tried to repress it, but it was no use. "Achoo, ACHOO!" Tears of helplessness stained his cheeks as he gave up.

Annie and Sam hugged him and promised that they'd be back soon. Any then they were off to the airport. Parking the car in the long term car-parkade, they made their way to the check in. Getting their seat assignment, they waited and presently boarded.

The trip seemed to go by rapidly as they sat and talked. A lunch was served and they finally landed in Baltimore.

Annie's dad Cliff met them at the airport to drive them home. "Annie, it's good to see you, we've missed you."

"Sam, this is my dad Cliff. Dad, this is Sam."

"Let's get your bags and we can chat on the way home. Barbara's waiting to meet your young man. By the way Sam, you're not allergic to anything are you?"

Sam gave a questioning look at Annie. "What? Not, as far as I know. Why?"

Annie smiled and answered. "My ex fiancé was allergic to almost everything. He started sneezing during dinner when he met my parents and relatives. It was the roses."

Sam relaxed and smiled and held Annie's hand. He tried to remember all Annie had told him of all the foibles of the Reed family and had worried (much like Walter had) that he'd make a fool of himself, trying to remember it all.

"So Jonah couldn't come?" Cliff asked, as they traveled from the airport.

"No," Sam replied. "He caught a cold from one of his friends at school the night before we left. Nothing serious, but we had to leave him behind. We have a very good sitter that's staying with him."

"He pleaded with us," Annie said. "We were going to cancel and wait until he was better, but he insisted that we go."

"He sounds like a very nice boy. Well, here we are."

Barbara Reed was waiting at the door, having seen them drive up and welcomed Annie and Sam with hugs and kisses.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sleepless in Seattle**

**After the movie**

**Chapter 7: The Wedding**

Disclaimer: Sleepless in Seattle is distributed by TriStar Pictures, produced by Gary Foster and Directed byNora Ephron. Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman and Rosie O'Donnell.

Not mine! I'm just extending the story line.

A/N: This will wind up the story; it's been fun. I've watched this movie dozens of times and always find it enjoyable. The other Tom Hanks / Meg Ryan films are also worth watching (You've Got Mail, Joe and the Volcano).

…

Sitting down to dinner with the Reeds, Sam was impressed. Now he knew where Annie had learned her cooking skills. Barbara Reed was an excellent cook. Small talk had touched various topics… how they met, what he did for work, living in Chicago and Seattle; the usual things. Then Barbara brought out the embarrassing things (as mothers are wont to do), about Annie; Her tomboy young life climbing trees and her first pre-teen crush. The time she made her first pie and used salt instead of sugar in the recipe. The black eye she gave a school-mate that had teased her.

"Mom!" Annie had cried exasperatedly. "Hush, or I'll tell Sam about some of you're um, 'interesting' stories.

Sam had been smiling throughout this. It had been cute to learn some of Annie's secrets from her early life; teasing material to be sure. "Cliff, I understand you like model trains."

Cliff grinned and promised to show Sam his collection in the basement.

It was getting late and Barbara showed Sam to the spare bedroom, that happened to be next to Annie's old room. "There's bath towels set out for you in the bathroom down the hall. Feel free to use the shower whenever you feel like. Oh, and don't tell Cliff, but I don't mind if you share Annie's bed. After all, you're engaged." She blushed slightly and turned away, heading back downstairs.

Sam stood there with his mouth open in shock. He had not expected such openness from her.

Annie surprised him, however. Instead of him sharing her bed, she insisted on sharing his. "Dad suggested it," she giggled. That was the second time he'd been surprised that night.

"Those two haven't quite got their act together," he replied. "Your mother suggested I share your bed."

Annie smiled. "Mom was always the one to lead in the relationship. Dad is a bit more conservative, but I think he really likes you. I know Mom does.

Settling in for the night, they snuggled together, kissing and lightly dozing until sometime after midnight when Annie felt Sam's need for her. They made love for the next two hours until exhausted they fell into a deep satisfying sleep.

…

The next two days were a flurry of meeting family and planning for the wedding. Cliff entertained Sam in the basement, showing off his collection of trains while Barbara took Annie shopping for a wedding dress.

They had decided to move the wedding up to June, so there was a lot to do in the next couple of months. Fortunately, Barbara was a master at organizing weddings, having had a part in Dennis and Betsy's as well as Harold and Irene's. Uncle Milton rounded out the Reed family guest list and Sam had the task of coordinating with Greg and Suzy and his friends. It would be a small wedding, although Sam was remembering several people that he knew would want to attend from Chicago.

Annie took Sam to meet Becky for lunch one day. "Becky, this is Sam. Sam, this is my best friend and boss Becky."

"Finally I get to meet the man that had us going crazy for months." Becky was enthusiastic, to say the least. "You had Annie mesmerized from the first time your son called the radio show."

Annie and Sam had the decency to blush. "Becky!" Annie admonished. "I wasn't that bad."

"No? You don't remember the morning after when Sam was all you could talk about? Or the continued distraction that culminated in flying out to Seattle, by the way telling Walter that you had an assignment elsewhere? Mesmerized isn't too strong a word. Obsessed might better fit."

Annie had blushed a deep scarlet at that.

"Oh, and don't forget the detective you…"

"BECKY!" Annie warned.

Sam had paid attention at that. "What about a detective?"

Annie grimaced and reluctantly told him the story of hiring a detective to take photos of him, so she could see what he looked like before she met him. She continued blushing fiercely as she revealed the lengths she went to find out more about him than the radio had revealed. She had to be sure he was the one.

Sam was amazed what Jonah had started and how it snowballed. If he was unsure of Annie's affections before, they were thoroughly dispelled now. Reaching for her hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed it. "If I'd known all the trouble you'd gone to find me, I'd have run right to you. That day at the airport, you caught my attention and I tried to follow you and at the marina… I was drawn to you. Jonah was right, we were meant to be soul mates."

It was a teary eyed Annie that finally realized that Sam truly loved her. Even Becky's eyes were misting. The lunch went well and Becky was asked to be Annie's Maid of Honour at the wedding in June and invited her co-workers Keith and Wyatt.

…

Packing up her car the next day, Annie and Sam bade goodbye to her parents for the long ride back home. They made it to Chicago that evening and stayed at the Ramada on the waterfront.

Sam had phoned Greg and Suzy to let them know they'd arrived and would see them tomorrow. They were surprised that they'd moved the wedding date up to June, but promised they'd be there.

That night, Sam and Annie made love again and it had become a thing they looked forward to every night. It was the next day that Annie remembered she hadn't taken her pill. "Oh oh. Sam…" she hesitated.

"What is it love," he asked concernedly.

"Um… I forgot to take my pill last night and I'm at my most fertile time of month. Oh Sam, what if I get pregnant?"

Sam smiled and said, "Relax sweetheart, if you become pregnant, I'll still love you and we'll have a new brother or sister for Jonah. I had hoped for this to happen anyway, it's just a bit sooner than I expected."

Annie rushed into Sam's arms, hugging and kissing him. Soon the kissing turned serious and clothes were shed. They would be a bit late to meet Greg and Suzy.

…

"Sam, Annie. You two look great," Greg said as they entered their home.

Greg gave Annie a warm hug and Suzy pulled her into a warm embrace, obviously happy to finally meet the woman that made Sam so happy; for Suzy could tell right away that the two were deeply in love.

"We were expecting you a couple of hours ago," Greg mentioned.

Annie and Sam blushed and stammered. "Uh, we… that is…"

"I see," Suzy smiled. "Well, that's good, we understand, don't we Greg."

Greg, a little slow on the uptake, finally got it and laughed. "Yeah, we understand, couldn't keep your hands off her, could y…" A swift kick from Suzy ended that. "Ouch."

The rest of the visit concerned arrangements for the wedding and finalizing the guest list. Greg was to be Sam's Best Man and Becky would be Annie's Bridesmaid. Suzy was a bit disappointed that she wasn't going to be Annie's bridesmaid, but understood that Annie had known Becky much longer than Sam had known Greg and Suzy.

…

The next day they started the long drive back to Seattle, stopping in small motels along the route to rest. Annie's period passed without the usual monthlies and they suspected that she was indeed pregnant.

"We'll confirm it when we get home, love, but I'm excited," Sam had told her. Annie wasn't so sure, but if Sam was happy, she could be happy too. Annie did want a child, but how would Jonah react. She knew that Jonah might be jealous, but hopefully he would get over that and love his new sibling.

"We should start thinking about names, darling," she suggested. It'll help pass the time on the trip home."

"Good idea, love," Sam agreed. "Girl or boy?"

"Lets go through girls names first."

And so it began. The girl's name was decided as Emily, after her mother's middle name, but the boy's name got stuck between Abraham (Abe), Gregory (Greg) and Robert.

They decided to think some more about that and at last arrived in Seattle as dusk was settling in.

"We're home!" Sam called out. "Jonah?"

A blur met them as Jonah launched himself at his father, hugging him tightly. "I really missed you Dad," and turned to Annie, hugging her just as tightly. "Annie, I missed you too," tears in his eyes as he said that.

"Cold all better, Jonah?" they both said together, and laughed.

"Yeah, I think I caught it from Jed. Now Jessie's got it. I haven't seen her for a couple of days now. She says she doesn't have it as bad as I did, but her parents are keeping her at home. I miss her, but we still talk on the phone."

"Where's Clarisse?" Sam asked.

"Oh, she went out for groceries, she should be back by now."

As if on cue, Clarisse walked in the door with a pizza. "Mr. Baldwin! How was your trip? Miss Reed, Jonah really missed the both of you."

"How was Jonah, Clarisse? Was he any trouble?"

"No Mr. Baldwin, he slept for the first two days and had Jessie over for two days until she caught his cold. He's been moping around the last couple of days but he's been no bother. We've pretty well run through all the games though."

"Thanks Clarisse, here's something extra for your time and trouble." He handed her two hundred dollars. She goggled at the amount and stammered her thanks.

After Clarisse had left, They ate the Pizza and prepared for bed. Jonah insisted on a bedtime story, and Annie found one of his favorites and read to him until he fell asleep; Howard the bear firmly tucked close to him.

Sam and Annie talked for a bit and then retired for the night. Bed squeaks were the only sounds heard for the next two hours until they too quieted for the night.

…

The next day, Sam took Annie to his family doctor and found she was indeed pregnant. He recommended an Obstetrician and made an appointment for her.

Over the next few days, Jonah was gradually brought into acceptance that Annie was going to have a baby. At first he was jealous, but quickly got over that when he realized he would finally have a brother or sister. He became very protective of Annie and when they could finally detect a faint heartbeat, he was in awe.

Annie's morning sickness passed eventually, and the wedding day was soon approaching.

Jonah surprised them one morning when he asked if Jessica could come to the wedding, maybe as a flower girl. Jonah explained that Jessie was the one that urged him to write Annie and suggest meeting in New York on Valentines Day.

After talking to Jessica's parents, she was thrilled when they agreed.

Flight reservations were made and the day of departure finally arrived. They picked up Jessica and made their way to the airport. The flight was long and tiring but Jonah and Jessica were too keyed up to sleep.

Sam figured there was the beginning of a romance there, but they were both very young. They would keep an eye on that.

They would stay with the Reeds and after the wedding would return home. Sam had planned a short honeymoon after they got back and decided Jonah would accompany them.

Arriving in Baltimore, Cliff once again picked them up. Introduced to Jonah and Jessica, Cliff immediately took to the youngsters. Both children had fallen asleep in the car and in truth; Sam and Annie were exhausted as well. Pulling into the driveway, Sam woke Jonah and Annie woke Jessica. Sam had to carry Jonah inside, but Jessica was fully awake and followed Annie up the steps.

Barbara greeted them with hugs and kisses and decided to put the children straight to bed. "We have a bunk bed set up in the spare room. We'll put Jonah up top and Jessica on the bottom." That seemed to work out well, as Sam and Annie got them ready.

Sam and Annie took Annie's old room and checked if there were any messages from Greg and Suzy. Suzy had phoned to say that they had arrived that morning and were staying with friends on the outskirts of Baltimore. They left a phone number and Sam promised to contact them tomorrow. Retiring for the night, they continued their snuggling and love making well into the night.

…

The day of the wedding turned out to be sunny and warm. Baltimore turned out its best weather for the wedding day. Annie knew that Baltimore in summer could be unbearably hot and muggy, but this was early summer and the weather was perfect.

Her mother and Becky had been aghast when they learned she was pregnant a few weeks ago and her father had just found out last night. Becky had been the first to recover and congratulate her. Her mother had stormed at her for a day and then broke out in smiles that told her it was all right. Her father was still recovering from an almost apoplectic fit. But today, he'd put that behind and escort his princess down the aisle and smile, even though he had misgivings. Barbara knew her husband would soon get over it and be happy that his daughter was going to give him another grandson or granddaughter.

Greg and Suzy were ecstatic and wished them both the very best. They hadn't told the other relatives yet, but that would change when they noticed the bride was showing a bit.

Inside the church, Sam waited patiently with Becky at the alter with Jonah as the ring-bearer and as the music started the wedding march, Sam saw Annie enter on her father's arm. His breath hitched as he saw the beautiful gown Annie was wearing. She was a vision that he could hardly believe. How had he been so lucky?

Jessica spread rose flower petals from a basket in front of the bride to be and her father, and shyly joined Jonah.

When Annie finally joined Sam, both were nervous, but a glance at each other was enough to settle them down. This was it: the moment of truth in their relationship. Neither thought they were good enough for the other, but both loved each other deeply. The ceremony began and Sam found himself repeating the wedding vow without thinking, so enraptured was he with Annie. Annie stumbled once, but recovered quickly and vowed to love honor and cherish Sam for as long as they lived.

"The rings, please." Sam and Annie exchanged rings that Jonah nervously handed them, and then the pastor intoned, "I now pronounce you Man and Wife. You may kiss the Bride."

Joy flared in their hearts as their lips touched in a tender kiss that lasted much longer than usual.

Afterward, at the wedding banquet, Sam only had eyes for Annie. Annie blushed prettily as they cut the cake and fed Sam the first piece. The dance that followed was a dream for Annie and she barely remembered thanking all their friends and relatives in the reception line.

That night, Sam Baldwin took Annie Baldwin to bed and was no longer "Sleepless in Seattle".

That December, a daughter was born to Sam and Annie, named Emily Ann Baldwin.

Years later, Jonah would marry Jessica, to no ones surprise.

END.

A/N: Well there it is. Hope you liked the ending and I hope I didn't screw up the wedding too badly. I know I've left a few things out, but hey, I had no guidance on this chapter.

Larry.


End file.
